Are you stretching?? The kind of pain you are describing is not really the same as a herniated disc and really not even the same as a serious muscle injury. As someone with relatively frequent back muscle soreness - not pain so much - I highly recomend insuring you are really stretching your hamstrings especially after big dead lift day. Tight hamstrings can actually cause your lower back to hurt.

Are you stretching?? The kind of pain you are describing is not really the same as a herniated disc and really not even the same as a serious muscle injury. As someone with relatively frequent back muscle soreness - not pain so much - I highly recommend ensuring you are really stretching your hamstrings especially after big dead lift day. Tight hamstrings can actually cause your lower back to hurt.

Hmm. I don't think I have been stretching at all. It is a bit better today, but still slightly painful all along my spine, in particular the lower area. I hope don't think I have a herniated disc as I think it would be more painful and in a specific place.

Seems posture related too. If I let my posture slouch, it gets painful. If I overcompensate it gets painful. If I sit or stand still it gets painful. Sitting without over compensating or walking are fine.

I hope don't think I have a herniated disc. However, I am wary of falsely assuming the worst based on just soreness. I definitely have some of the minor symptoms (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_disc_herniation) but I don't detect any of the major symptoms. So I think I will just leave it and let it get better on its own, and stay out of the gym and away from weights until feeling completely better. If things don't just clear up I may give it several months, but I would probably go to a doctor first for an actual diagnosis, so I knew how long beyond "I feel fine" it was necessary to rest before start to lift again.

really? he hurt himself over 2 weeks ago. that's more than just a minor tweak.

i agree with you about the stretching though. mobility is everything.

if its gone this long, it might be time for the OP to see a doctor. i mean, he isn't even sure where it hurts.

I will go to the doctor if it is still painful tomorrow. I'll have to find a doctor first, but there are bound to be plenty near my office. The odd thing was it was not painful when I was in the gym on that day - only gradually since then. It's fine if I walk about or ride my bike or lie on a hard surface, but not fine if I sit down for a long time.

sounds like it's time to see the doc, get an MRI, the whole deal... unfortunately for you, there really isn't much to do for a bulging/herniated disc if that's the case. unfortunately for you, i think you learned the hard way that when deadlifting, form is everything.

i had 2 herniated discs from a car accident about 8 years ago, and i still have pain from time to time. 6 months of PT, and all the Mckenzie exercises in the world didn't do a damn thing for me. i had to learn that form is the king. i don't deadlift or squat 400+lbs anymore. and i don't plan on it ever again. that's life.

sounds like it's time to see the doc, get an MRI, the whole deal... unfortunately for you, there really isn't much to do for a bulging/herniated disc if that's the case. unfortunately for you, i think you learned the hard way that when deadlifting, form is everything.

i had 2 herniated discs from a car accident about 8 years ago, and i still have pain from time to time. 6 months of PT, and all the Mckenzie exercises in the world didn't do a damn thing for me. i had to learn that form is the king. i don't deadlift or squat 400+lbs anymore. and i don't plan on it ever again. that's life.

Have emailed the Sports Orthopaedist. He's closed for the day now, but I expect to hear back from them tomorrow, and doctors are usually pretty quick with first appointments, especially a teaser session. Like lawyers in that respect. I think my form was quite bad with the most recent lifting as I wasn't looking forward, but at the weight.

Find a chiropractor. Better option whether its disc or muscle. I was told I needed laminectomy for a herniated disc 15 years ago (MRI and all). Saw a chiropractor instead. He checked the MRI and it took a couple of months of treatment, but got back to 100% without surgery. Still no relapses and I still have my spine in tact

When I start dong them again it will definitely be less heavy, or if I go for a maximum it won't be the max every week. I take your point about needing longer to recover than a week. I think I didn't leave it long enough at a week - that was the first day I felt up to going back to the gym. Maybe I wasn't very warmed up too - only walked there to warm up, about ten minutes.

.

This might be part of the issue. I LOVE doing heavy deadlifts. They are my favorite exercise. But I could not imagine maxing every week. That's gotta wear on the body.

This might be part of the issue. I LOVE doing heavy deadlifts. They are my favorite exercise. But I could not imagine maxing every week. That's gotta wear on the body.

That's good advice. When (if) I go back to it I will bear that in mind. I have been too keen top really up my peaks. Yes, I love it too. It makes going to the gym pleasurable, whereas I always used to hate it. And I love the effect on my for the following weak - that ping of hunger, the pleasure of resting in the sun and lazing about.

Will go to the Sports Orthopedist today as he has not responded to my email and is only a short distance from my office. Slept on a hard surface (my rug on the flour) last night and felt better for it and was quite comfortable. Five minutes in bed was not comfortable. Maybe it is beginning to feel better; hard to tell.

I would quite like to know if there is anything serious wrong, as it will directly affect when I feel ready to train again. I don't want to start lifting when I feel better but am not fully recovered, but I don't want to take six months off unnecessarily.